7 Tips for Choosing Your Home’s Exterior Paint Colors

No one said picking paint colors was easy; in fact, it’s one of the hardest decisions to make. With your interior, at least you have the benefit of privacy—even if you choose the wrong color, only you will see it for a time—but with your home’s exterior, your paint colors are there for all the world to see. Thankfully, though, there are ways to make the decision-making process easier. So if you’re struggling to find that perfect paint color for your home’s exterior, then read over these basic tips to help you narrow down your choices:

Plan around parts of your home that are difficult to change7 Tips for Choosing Your Home's Exterior Paint Colors

Roofing, stonework, driveways, and other exterior elements surrounding your home are often difficult to change. In that respect, you want the color of your home to complement the colors of these elements. For example, if your roof is a cool, gray color, you’ll want to pick another cool color to complement it.

Consider the architectural style

You should try to complement the history and style of your home as much as possible. A midcentury modern home, for instance, should not be painted in the same fashion as a Greek Revival home. For this you should probably consult a professional who will be able to find historically accurate colors that can blend well with your home’s architectural design.

Look around the neighborhood

You shouldn’t copy your neighbors exactly, but the colors they use can act as great inspirations for your own home. Plus, most homes in the same neighborhood are built around the same time and, thus, have similar architectural styles. So if you’re struggling with finding the right colors to blend with that midcentury home of yours, look around your neighborhood to see what colors your neighbors used on similar-looking homes.

…And the environment

Your environment is a huge factor into what kinds of colors you should or shouldn’t use. Vivid blues or pale pinks would like great in a house by the beach, but not so much in a snowy, northern environment. You should also consider what grows around your home, such as the types of trees, flowers, and shrubs. The colors should, again, complement each other, and if you have lots of trees you might want to paint your home a brighter color so that it stands out.

Have multiple shades

A home’s exterior has three main parts: field color, accent color, and trim color. Your field color is your main color; the accent color is for doors, shutters, and other small areas; and the trim color is used for windows, railings, and other trim. There should be a lot of contrast between your trim and field colors, while your accent color should complement the field color, but don’t be afraid to go bold.

Test out multiple colors

To get a feel of what a color would really look like, you need to test it out first. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a handful of colors, get a quart and paint a small section of your home in each color. Try to do this in the back of your home or in an inconspicuous area so that it’s not too obvious from the street. Then keep an eye on it, checking to see how each color looks at different times of the day and in different weather conditions.

Hire a professional painter

When all is said and done, no one will know better than a professional painter. If you’re struggling to find the right color combinations, a professional painting contractor will know what will work best for your home’s architectural style, environment, and overall design. Not to mention that the actual job of painting your home’s exterior can be a real chore compared to your interior, so it’s best to hire a professional to make sure it’s done right.

So if you’re in the Los Angeles area and looking for a professional painting contractor, consider Richard Stewart Painting. With over three decades of experience painting residential and commercial exteriors, we’ll help you find the right colors for your home. Give us a call today at 1-818-951-1181 to get started.

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